Sander Buying Guide

A sander is an essential piece of equipment that will get used in nearly any DIY projects that involve wood. Sanders can be used to remove large amounts of wood or surfaces finishes easily and quickly, as well as being able to create a smooth surface on your projects. There are several types of sanders available, and several can only be used for certain applications. One key to deciding on a sander is to get the one that will fill your needs best. Here are the types of sanders you will want to consider:

-- Belt Sanders --
Belt sanders are good for use in the initial phases of sanding large rough sanding jobs as well as for the beginning phases of big refinishing projects. Belt sanders take away lots of material quickly, so a careful touch is needed to keep from over-sanding the material being sanded. Belt sanders also tend to be rather heavy. Look for one that has an adjustable speed control as well as a button that allows the speed to be locked which will allow you to place your hands in the most comfortable position when using the sander; this also helps reduce user fatigue when using a belt sander.

-- Detail Sanders --
Detail sanders are little sanders usually designed to sand in tight areas, odd shapes, and around details such as notches, carvings, inlays, curves and grooves. Detail sanders are oftentimes used for craft projects and on mill work like window and door casings. To get the best usage out of your detail sander, buy one with a lot of attachments as this will make your sander more flexible and make it usable in more locations and shapes.

-- Disc Sanders --
Disc sanders come in both bench-mounted and hand-held varieties. The hand-held models are most useful to do-it-yourselfers whereas the bench-mounted disc sanders are most often used by those who need to perform sanding on a more industrial scale. But there are some smaller bench-mounted models that are still cheap enough for consideration by the occasional user. Disc sanders make quick work of finishing the end grain of wood and for sanding angled edges. If you are thinking about getting a bench-mounted disc sander, additional features you will want to consider include: a tilting table, a sliding miter gauge, and a belt sander someplace on the frame.

-- Random-Orbit Sanders --
Random-orbit sanders have circular pads that move in a circular motion with a random pattern. The random pattern makes it so that the user can move the sander in any direction on the material being sanded, even across the grain, without scratching the surface of the material being sanded. This is the easiest to use type of sander and it is an excellent choice for a multi-purposes sanders; this makes it an excellent choice for the occasional user. Most random-orbit sanders require the use of special sand paper designed specifically for the brand/model of the sander being used.

-- Sheet Sanders --
Sheet sanders are available in different sized models that use 1/4 or 1/3-sheets from standard sizes of sheet sandpaper. Some sheet sanders make use of specific sand paper with adhesive or velcro designed to attach the sand paper to the sander. Other models are able to use any type of sheet sand paper. Obviously, the latter type of sheet sander is more flexible for the everyday user. Unlike the random-orbit sander, the sheet sander vibrates the sand paper in a single direction, so sheet sanders have to be moved in the direction of the grain of the material being sanded or else the surface can be marred. Like the random-orbit sander, sheet sanders are very versatile and they can be used on a wide variety of projects.

-- Spindle Sanders --
Spindle sanders are the best choice for edge sanding, especially on curves. Spindle sanders are bench-mounted tools that have a cylindrical spindle located in the center of a worktable. There are no hand-held spindle sanders. As such, these tend to be used by more industrial users and wood-working enthusiasts. If looking for a spindle sander, look for one with the oscillating feature; the oscillations increases the removal rate of stock and reduces the chance of gouging the material being sanded.

Article Source: ArticlesBusiness.net

The author has been working construction for over 20 years. You can check out his sander reviews at www.sander-reviews.com.

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